Sunday, October 4, 2009

Michael Crabtree's Unemployment Check

ESPN GameDay sign

OK, this one will take a bit of explanation. Bear with me. First, who is Michael Crabtree? According to Wikipedia (which, at the risk of making myself the target of derision, I still say is the single best source of information on the Internet), "Michael Crabtree is an American football wide receiver who was selected by the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League in the 2009 NFL Draft. He was drafted by the 49ers with the 10th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, but currently remains unsigned by the team." OK, that explains why Michael Crabtree might be receiving an unemployment check from the Governator. After the jump, let's bring the story a little closer to home.

According to Wikipedia (again), Michael Crabtree "played college football for Texas Tech, where he received recognition as one of the nation's most prolific wide receivers." Crabtree's most famous highlight came on November 1, 2008. Wikipedia tells the tale: "The Red Raiders upset #1 Texas 39-33. Down 33-32, Tech drove down into Longhorns' territory with 8 seconds left in the game. Quarterback Graham Harrell threw to Crabtree in double coverage inside the 10-yard line. Crabtree grabbed the pass, shook a defender on the sideline, and ran into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown with a second left in the game."

The sign in the photo was voted by fans the winner of ESPN's College GameDay sign contest for week 3 of the season. It appeared on that pregame show the week Texas Tech met the University of Texas this year for the rematch of last year's famous game. Why the amount of $43.15 on the check? This year's meeting between Texas and Texas Tech marks the 59th meeting between these schools. Texas holds the lead in wins in series history, 43 to 15, pointing out the Longhorns' overall superiority. Note the "OU SUCKS" camouflaged in the lower left. Even this is an indirect slap at Texas Tech, implying that the University of Oklahoma is a bigger rival for Texas than Tech is. And the memo on the check? Interviewed after last year's game, Crabtree said of his famous catch, "I dreamed it."

OK, let's bring it all home. The sign was made by JB and friends. JB is a UT grad, former drum major for UT and for the Berkner Mighty Ram Band, son of our friends and neighbors Anne and John. That's why this sign, of all the thousands of signs made for hundreds of pep rallies and games, is featured on the pages of this blog. Whew!